Tipsheets & Fact Sheets

Wow! Two essays in Sunday's Sun-Times recognize that CPS neighborhood schools need help and deserve recognition.

Sue Ontiveros wrote about a lively production of "The Wizard of Oz" at Roosevelt High School: "From what I've observed over the years, so much of the positive attention -- and resources -- in the Chicago Public Schools is directed toward the magnet schools, particularly at the high school level. It leaves those at neighborhood schools feeling like Cinderella- before the ball."

Since Renaissance 2010 started, the neighborhood schools have also seen resources siphoned off for the Mayor's new schools.  

The paper's main editorial yesterday was titled "Neighborhood schools need the most help." The editors comment that "CPS, rightly, has been criticized over the years for failing to clearly prioritize its highest need areas and throwing all its resources behind efforts to fix those schools."

A cost-free school improvement suggestion 

I wrote to the Sun-Times thanking them for acknowledging that neighborhood schools need to be the focus for our efforts and resources. And I suggested a cost-free improvement strategy: a return to respect for and engagement of parent and local school councils in our schools.

Since the mayoral takeover of Chicago's schools, CPS has squandered the volunteer efforts and contributions of thousands of parent, teacher, community and principal local school council members who take office every two years prepared to help their schools, only to discover that CPS neither welcomes their input nor takes it into consideration.

Since the mayoral takeover in 1995, CPS has sent back tens of millions of federal parent involvement dollars which could have been used to encourage and support increased partnerships with parents. Poor district leadership has allowed these funds to be used to reward a few favorites with expensive trips and stipends rather than for local parent-designed programs as required by law.

We can turn that situation around and apply the energies of thousands of motivated parents and LSCs members towards real school improvement. That means that CPS needs to get out of the way in many cases, and let local leadership grow and strengthen. That is the only way to get all hands on deck for the challenges we still face.

PURE's perspective on charter schools explodes 6 common myths.

Decades of research have documented the biases in standardized tests, with students of color bearing the brunt of that discrimination. Across age groups, standardized tests discriminate against low-income students, English language learners, and students of color.

Although in recent years test makers have attempted to address concerns about test bias by establishing review committees to “scour” the tests for bias, and by using statistical procedures, significant problems remain in the content of the questions, the cultural assumptions inherent in the “wanted” answers, etc. Here are just a few examples:

Standardized tests have many weaknesses including scoring errors, bias, and a dumbed-down approach to learning. Here's a one-page overview of some of the main problems with standardized tests.   

The Home-School Journal is a model developed by PURE as one tool for effective communication between teachers and families, especially where internet access is less common.

Thinking about starting a parent organization? Here are some steps to help you move ahead.

How to know when and where an LSC meets and what business they will conduct

Recent Chicago-based research says that improved student achievement is tied to strong academic “press” or expectation for student success combined with increased emphasis on building trusting relationships within a school community.

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